Authorities in Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northern Somalia that no longer recognizes the legitimacy of the federal government in Mogadishu, have intercepted a foreign-flagged cargo vessel carrying Turkish-marked military equipment reportedly destined for the Somali capital, The Maritime Executive news website reported.
The seizure took place on July 18 off the coast of Bareeda, near Cape Guardafui at the northeastern tip of the Horn of Africa. Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) personnel boarded the vessel, identified as the Comoros-flagged freighter Sea World, and discovered armored vehicles, mine-resistant trucks, anti-aircraft guns, ammunition crates and other military cargo, some visibly bearing Turkish markings.
1-1 Update #Bosasa #Puntland.
🚨 Intelligence Report |
19 July 2025Subject: Unauthorized Arms Shipment Bound for Mogadishu
Ref: MGC-0725-INT-419
authorities have interdicted a blacklisted vessel carrying over 11 metric tons of military-grade weapons bound for Mogadishu. Cargo pic.twitter.com/YmslNsmRxO— Radio Kulmis (@RadioKulmis) July 22, 2025
The ship is now under guard in the port of Bosaso as local authorities investigate its cargo and documentation. Video footage published by Puntland outlets appears to show civilians looting rifles and sidearms from the ship before the PMPF secured the scene.
Puntland, with a population of over 4 million, was formed in 1998 and considers itself a federal member state of Somalia. However, following a constitutional crisis in March 2024, Puntland declared it would act independently of the federal government in Mogadishu until a new national constitution is adopted through a referendum in which it participates. It has suspended all cooperation with federal institutions and exercises de facto autonomy over its territory, including control of its maritime borders and police force.
The intercepted weapons shipment has further strained relations. While Somali federal officials confirmed the cargo was intended for a military training base in Mogadishu, where Turkish troops have been stationed for years as part of a bilateral defense pact, Puntland authorities say the vessel entered their territorial waters without notice or authorization.
Turkey, Somalia’s closest military partner, operates the TURKSOM base in Mogadishu and trains federal security forces. In recent months, Turkey expanded its role by signing a maritime security agreement that includes coastal patrols and naval deployment. Turkish officials have not commented publicly on the intercepted shipment, and no direct link between Ankara and the vessel has been confirmed.
Under United Nations Security Council resolutions, arms deliveries to Somalia’s federal forces must still follow formal notification procedures despite the lifting of a decades-long arms embargo in December 2023. The shipment’s legal status remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, neither Turkey nor the Somali federal government had issued official statements addressing the seizure or responding to Puntland’s claims.